Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A COMPOSITION FOR SOFTENING FABRICS
.
This invention relates to a composition for softening
fabrics and in particular to such a composition which lS
S capable of impart1ng a softening benefit to fabrics during
a wash process.
A number of materials have been suggested in the art
for providing softening-in-the-wash benefits. These0 include certain classes of fatty amines, e,specially
b~.s~c~ J~ 9 7
tertiary amines. Thus GB 151427~ teaches the use of
certain long chain tertiary amines that are nonionic in
character at the wash liquor pH existing when a
conventlonal laundry detergent is used.
A common problem with detergent compositions which
are intended to both clean and soften fabrics is that the
inclusion of the fabric softening agent is detrimental to
cleaning performance.
We have found that, when a fatty amine is used as the
~abric softening agent, cleaning performance can be
improved by the inclusion in the composition of certain
nonionic surfactant materials, without detriment to
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softening performance, while in some cases softening
performance is enhanced.
Thus according to the invention there is provided a
detergent composition comprising:
(i) from 2,h to 50' by weight of a surfactant system
and
(ii) from 0.5% to 15% by weight of a fatt;~ amine
fabri.c softening agent,
(iii) up to 80% by weight of a detergency ~ullder,
characterised in that the surfactant system includes
a nonionic surfactant or mixture of nonion~c surfactants
whlch has a cloudy phase at 1% concentratlon in
distilled water at a temperature somewhere between
0C and 40C, and ls ~rom 1% to 15% of the composi~lon.
The nonionic surfactant systems useful in the present
invention have a cloudy phase somewhere in the temperature
range of 0C to 40C, preferably 0C to 15C in distllled
water at 1~ concentration. In practise this means that
the system has a cloud point of not more than 40C,
preferably not more than 15C. Cloud point is a term well
known in the axt, for example from Surface Active Ethylene
Oxide Addicts by N. Schonfeldt, Pergamon Press 1969, pp
145 to 154. In general terms the cloud point of a
surfactant material is the temperature at which
association between the surfactant and water molecules
through hydrogen bonding breaks down, leading to the
separation of surfactant rich and water rich phases and a
consequential increase in turbidity or cloudiness.
The cloud point correlates approximately to the
hydrophilic - lipophilic balance (HLB) of the surfactant
system and it is therefore preferred that the HLB should
be less than 10.5, such as not more than 9.5.
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The HLB should preferably be above 6.0, most
preferably above 8.0 to provide sufflcient detergency.
Suitable nonionic detergent compounds which may be
used include in particular the reaction products of
compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive
hydrogen atom, for example aliphatic alcohols, acids,
amides or alkyl phenols with alkylene oxides, especially
ethylene oxide either alone or with propylene oxide.
Specific nonionic detergent compounds are alkyl (C6 - C22)
phenols-ethylene oxide condensates, the condensation
products of aliphatic (C8 -C18) primary or secondary
linear or branched alcohols with ethylene oxide, and
products made by condensation of ethylene oxide with the
reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine.
Other so-called nonionic detergent compounds include long
chain tertlary amine oxides, long chain textiary phosphine
oxides and dialkyl sulphoxides.
Where, for example, alkylene oxide adducts of fatty
materials are used as the nonionic detergent compounds,
the number of alkylene oxide groups per molecule has a
considerable effect upon the cloud point as indicated by
the Schonfeldt reference mentioned above. The chain
length and nature of the fatty material is also
influential, and thus the preferred number of alkylene
oxide groups per molecule depends upon the nature and
chain length of the fatty material. We have found for
example that where the fatty material is a fatty alcohol
having about 13 to 15 carbon atoms, the adduct having 3
ethylene oxide groups per molecule has a cloud point of
less than 0C and is there~ore suitable for use in the
present invention. A similar surfactant having 7 ethylene
oxide groups per molecule has a cloud point of about 48C
and is there~ore unsuitable. Further ethoxylation raises
the cloud point still higher. Thus the similar suxfactant
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with 11 ethylene oxide groups per molecule has a cloud
point higher than 80C.
Where mixtures of surfactant materials are used, it
is the properties of the individual components of the
mixture rather than their average properties which are
important.
Thus, whilst a mixture of such 3EO and 11EO
ethoxylated alcohols may well have an HLB close to that of
the 7EO material, the 7EO material alone would give a
clear solution below 15C, passing to a cloudy condition
above about 4~C, while the mixture could be cloudy below
15C. In the context of the present invention therefore,
the use of the 7EO material would be unsuitable while the
mixture of 3EO and llEO materials would be suitable.
Where the components of the nonionic surfactant
system comprise alkoxylated fatty alcohols, it is
preferred that the level of the unalkoxylated fatty
alcohol is less than 15% of the nonionic surfactant
system. This is because the alcohol component is volatile
leading to o~f odour of the product and the risk of
environmental pollution if spray-dried. It is also a
non-surface active material and when present at higher
levels represents significant dilution of the nonionic
surfactant system.
The fatty amine fabric softening agent is preferably
a tertiary amine although the use of primary or secondary
amines is also possible. When it is a tertiary amine, it
preferably has the general formula
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/ N ~ ~R3
R2
wherein Rl is an alkyl or alkenyl group with 10 to 26
carbon atoms, R2 is as Rl or, if Rl contains 20 to 26
carbon atoms, then R2 may be an alkyl group with 1 to 7
carbon atoms, and R~ has the formula
CH2 Y
wherein Y is hydrogen, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon
6 5 2OH, C~-CH2, -C2H4OH, -CH CN CH CO
CH2CO-N(Rs)2 or -C2H4N(R5)2 wherein R~ is an alkyl group
with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, each R5 is independently
hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms.
The most preferred tertiary fatty amines are selected
from di -C16-C22 alkyl Cl-C4 alkyl amines in which the
fatty alkyl chains are derived from animal fats. Suitable
amines include:
di decyl methylamine
di lauryl methylamine
di myristyl methylamine
di cetyl methylamine
di stearyl methylamine
di arachadyl methylamine
di behenyl methylamine
arachidyl behenyl methylamine or
di Imixed arachidyl/behenyl) methylamine
di (cocoyl) methylamine
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di (tallowyl) methylamine
arachidyl/behenyl dimethylamine
and the corresponding ethyl amines, propylamines and
butylamines. Especially preferred is ditallowyl
methylamine. This is commercially available as Armeen
A M2HT from Akzo N.V. as Genamin SH301 from Farbwerke
Hoechst, and as Noram M2SH from the CECA Company.
didecyl benzylamine
dilauryl benzylamine
dimyristyl benzylamine
dicetyl benzylamine
distearyl benzylamine
dioleyl benzylamine
dilinoleyl benzylamine
diarachidyl benzylamine
dibehenyl benzylamine
di (arachidyl/behenyl) benzylamine
di (cocoyl) benzylamine
di ~tallowyl) benzylamine
and the corresponding allylamines, hydroxy ethylamines,
hydroxy propylamines, and 2-cyanoethylamines. Especially
preferred are ditallowyl benzylamine and ditallowyl
allylamine.
The primary and secondary amines suitable for the
purpose of the invention are water-insoluble compounds
having the general formula:
RlR2NH
wherein R1 is a C12-C26 alkyl or alkenyl group and R is H
or a Cl-C7 alkyl, or a C12-C26 alkyl or alkenyl group.
~ 0s ~ ~e ~ k
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Preferred amines are primary amines of the above
formula wherein R1 is a C12-C22 alkyl or alkenyl group and
R2=M, which can be used as such or as their salts.
Examples of suitable amines include:
primary tallow amine
primary palmityl amine
primary stearyl amine
primary oleyl amine
primary coconut amine
primary behenyl amine
secondary di-lauryl amine
secondary distearyl amine
secondary tallow methyl amine
primary tallow amine hydrochloride
primary tallow amine acetate.
Mixtures of any of these amines may be used.
Especially preferred are primary C12-C~2
alkyl/alkenyl amines containing more than 50% of C16-C22
alkyl/alkenyl amines, which are commercially available as
Armeen 16D, Armeen HT, Armeen HTD, Armeen 18, Ar~een 18D,
Armeen T and Armeen TD from Armour Chemical Industries
Ltd. and as NoramRS, Noram SH and Noram 42 from the CECA
Company.
The surfactant system may include other surfactant
materials in addition to the specified nonionic materials.
These other surfactant materials may be selected from
anionic detergent active materials, zwitterionlc or
amphoteric detergent active materials or mixtures thereof.
The anionic detergent active materials are usually
water-soluble alkali metal salts of organic sulphates and
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sulphonates having alkyl radicals containing from about 8
to about 22 carbon atoms, the term alkyl being used to
include the alkyl portion of higher acyl radicals.
Examples of suitable synthetic anionic detergent compounds
are sodium and potassium alkyl sulphates, especially those
obtained by sulphating higher (C8 -C18) alcohols produced
for example from tallow or coconut oil, sodium and
potassium alkyl (Cg -C20) benzene sulphonates,
particularly sodium linear secondary alkyl (ClO -C15)
benzene sulphonates; sodium alkyl glyceryl ether
sulphates, especially those ethers of the higher alcohols
derived from tallow or coconut oil and synthetic alcohols
derived from petroleum; sodium coconut oil fatty
monoglyceride sulphates and sulphonates; sodium and
potassium salts of sulphuric acid esters of higher (C8
-C18) fatty alcohol-alkylene oxide, particularly ethylene
oxide, reaction products; the reactlon products of fatty
acids such as coconut fatty acids esterified with
isethionic acid and neutralised with sodium hydroxide;
sodium and potassium salts of fatty acid amides of methyl
taurine; alkane monosulphonates such as those derived by
reacting alpha-ole`fins (C8 -C20) with sodium bisulphite
and those derived from reacting paraffins with SO2 and C12
and then hydrolysing with a base to produce a random
sulphonate; and olefin sulphonates, which term is used to
describe the material made by reacting olefins,
particularly C10 -C20 alpha-olefins, with SO3 and then
neutralising and hydrolysing the reaction product. The
preferred anionic detergent compounds are sodium (C
-Cl5) alkyl benzene sulphonates and sodium (Cl6 -Cl8)
alkyl sulphates.
The compositions of the invention may contain a
detergency builder material, which may be any material
capable of reducing the level of free calcium ions in the
wash liquor and which will preferably provide the
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composition with other beneficial properties such as the
generation of an alkallne pH, the suspension of soil
removed from the fabric and the dispersion of the fabric
softening ~atty amine.
Examples of phosphorus-containing inorganic
detergency builders, when present, include the
water-soluble salts, especially alkali metal
pyrophosphates, orthophosphates, polyphosphates and
phosphonates. Speclfic examples of inorganic phosphate
builders include sodium and potassium tripolyphosphates,
ortho phosphates and hexametaphosphates.
Examples of non-phosphorus-containing inorganic
detergency builders, when present, include water-soluble
alkali metal carbonates, bicarbonates, silicates and
crystalline and amorphous alumino silicates. Specific
examples include sodium carbonate twith or without calcite
seeds), potassium carbonate, sodium and potassium
bicarbonates and silicates.
Examples of organic detergency builders, when
present, include the alkali metal, ammonium and
substltuted ammonium polyacetates, carboxylates,
polycarboxylates, polyacetyl carboxylates and
polyhydroxsulphonates. Specific examples include sodium,
potassium, lithium, ammonium and substituted ammonium
salts of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic
acid, oxydisuccinic acld, melitic acid, benzene
polycarboxylic acids and citric acid.
Apart from the ingredients already mentioned, a
number of optional ingredients may also be present.
Examples of other ingredients which may be present in
the composition include other fabric softening agents such
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as fabric softening clay materials, lather boosters such
as alkanolamides, particularly the monoethanolamides
derived from palm kernel fatty acids and coconut fatty
acids, lather depressants, oxygen-releasing bleaching
agents such as sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate,
peracid bleach precursors, chlorine-releasing bleaching
agents such as tricloroisocyanuric acid, inorganic salts
such as sodium sulphate, and, usually present in very
minor amounts, fluorescent agents, perfumes, enzymes such
as proteases, lipases and amylases, germicides and
colourants.
Preferred compositions according to the invention
include from 2% to 50%, such as from 4% to 30% by weight
of the surfactant system, the specified nonionic materials
occupying from 1~ to 15% such as from 1.5% to 10~ by
weight, from O.S% to 15~, such as from 1% to 10% by weight
of the fabric softening fatty amine, up to 80% by weight,
such as from 30% to 60% by weight of a detergency builder,
and the balance being made up of optional ingredients and
water. These percentages are based on the weight of the
overall composition.
The compositions of the invention may be in any
physical form such as powders, liquids, pastes or bars.
The detergent compositions according to the invention
may be prepared by a number o~ different methods according
to their physical form. In the case of granular products
they may be prepared by dry-mixing or coagglomeration. A
preferred physical form is a granule incorporating a
detergency builder salt and this is most conveniently
manufactured by spray-drying at least part of the
composition. In this process a sl~rry is prepared
containing the heat-insensitive components of the
composition such as the surfactant system, builder
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material and filler salt. The slurry is spray-dried to
~orm base powder granules with which any solid
heat-sensitlve ingredients may be mixed, such ingredients
including bleaches and enzymes. Although ~he fatty amine
may be included in the slurry for spray-drying, it may
degrade under certain processing conditions and adversely
affect product quality. In any case, when other
ingredients capable of complexing with the amine are
present the amine should be added in such a manner that
such complexation is substantially prevented so that the
amine as such is present in the final product. Thus, when
fabric softening clays are present the amine should not be
added as a preformed amine/clay complex. It is therefore
preferred that the fatty amine be liquified by melting or
solvent dissolution and that this liquid be sprayed onto
the base powder granules.
The specified nonionic surfactants can also be
incorporated in this way, rather than including them in
the slurry for spray-drying.
The invention will now be described in more detail in
the following non-limiting examples.
EXAMPLE 1
Detergent compositions were prepared by dry-mixing
the specified ingredients according to the following
approximate formulations.
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Example No: lA* lB* lC
In~redients (parts by weight)
Anionic detergent active 9.0 9.0 9.0
Nonionic active A74.0 4.0
Nonionic active A4 - - 4.
Burkeite 8.0
Burkelte/amine3 - 10 . O 10 . O
Sodium tripolyphosphate 25.0 25.0 25.0
Sodium sulphate 32.0 32.0 32.0
Clay4 8.0 8.0 8.0
*comparative example
NOTES
1
1 - Synperonic A7 ~ex ICI) which is a C13 - C15 alcohol
ethoxylated with approximately 7 moles of ethylene
oxide per molecule and having a cloud point of 48C.
2 - Syperonic A4 (as A7 but containing an average of four
moles of ethylene oxide per molecule) and having a
cloud point below 0C.
3 - 1 part dihardened tallow methyl tertiary amine
carried on 4 parts Burkeite.
4 - ASB1.7 (ex English China Clay) in the form of
granulated calcium montmorillonite from Morocco.
It will be seen that the surfactant system in
comparative Examples lA and lB contains 4 parts A7, while
in Example lC according to the invention 4 parts A4 is
present.
~ ~2 V70~RS ~ a~ k
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In order to compare the detergency performance of
these ~ormulations, they were used to wash fabrics under
the followiny conditions:
5 Dosage 6g/l
Water hardness 24FH
Wash temperature 40C
Fabrics Artifically soiled cotton and
polyester test pieces
10 Wash time 30 minutes
Rinse 3 x 5 minutes
After line drying the reflectance of each test piece
was measured and compared with the unwashed test piece to
generate a value ofa R. The results were as ~ollows,
higher values of ~R being indicative of better detergency.
Example No: lA* lB* lC
a R
Cotton 14.4 14.9 15.2
Polyester 6.5 5.8 8.1
It will be seen that the addition of 2 parts amine in
Example lB, compared with lA, leads to a fall off in
detergency on polyester with no significant difference on
cotton. The replacement of A7 in Æxample lB by A4 in
Example lC leads to an improvement in detergency.
In a separate experiment desized terry towelling
pieces were washed under the same conditions and after
drying were judged for softness by a panel of experienced
assessors who expressed the following aggregated
preferences.
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Example No: lA* lB* lC
Pre~erences (maximum 36) 6 19 22
These results show that the addition of 2 parts amine
in Example lB, compared with lA, leads to an improvement
in softening and that this improvement is more than
maintained when the A7 in Example lB is replaced by A4 in
Example lC.
EXAMPLES 2 AND 3
Example l was repeated with the modification that 20
parts and 30 parts of the Burkeite/amine mixture were used
respectively in Examples 2 and 3, the level of sodium
sulphate being reduced accordingly. The results were:
Example No 2A* 2B* 2C 3A* 3B* 3C
Amine level(parts) - 4.0 4.0 - 6.0 6.0
~R Cotton 15.214.416.5 15~0 13.4 15.1
~R Polyester 6.15.68.4 9.2 6.4 10.9
Softeninglpreferences) 4 16 32 0 18 30
These results show that even at 6 parts amine
present, the detergency benefit of the invention is still
to be found.
Not only that, in these examples the softenlng
performance itself is signl~icantly enhanced.
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EXAMPLES 4 TO 8
Example 2 was repeated using a range of different
nonionic surfactants, using the compositions from Examples
2A* and 2B* for comparison. Details of the nonionic
surfactants and the results obtained were as follows:
Example No 2A* 2B* 4 5 6 7 8
_______________._______________________________________________
10 Amine (%) - 4.04.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0
Nonionic A7 A7A6/A7 A6 A5 A4 A3
Cloud point (C)
(approx) 48 48 36 30 12 <0 <0
~R (Cotton) 16.0 15.0 16.3 16.2 16.2 15.8 16.3
15 ~R (Polyester) 6.2 5.7 6.2 6.2 7.7 7.5 9.0
Softening preference 24 51 ~6 51 45 45 59
It is clear from these results that the inclusion of
amine consistently improves softening performance and
while comparison between the cleaning performance of
Exmaples 2A* and 2B* shows the amine to have a
disadvantageous effect, the replacement of the A7 nonionic
surfactant with a surfactant system having a cloud point
below 40C restores and even improves cleaning
performance.
EXAMPLE 9
Detergent compositions were prepared by dry-mixing
the specified ingredients according to the followlng
approximate formulations, using the same amine as used in
Example 1.
2~
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Example No: 9A* 9B
In~redients (parts by weight)
Anionic detergent actlve 9.0 9.0
Nonionic active A7 4.0
Nonionic active A4 - 4.0
Burkeite/amine 20.0 20.0
Sodium tripolyphosphate 25.0 25.0
10 Sodium sulphate 24.0 24.0
In order to compare the detergency performance of
these formulations, they were tested in the same manner as
described in Example 1. The results were as follows:
Example No: 9A* 9B
Q~
Cotton 12.7 14.4
20 Polyester 6.9 7.6
These results serve to confirm the benefit of
replacing the nonionic surfactant A7 in Example 9A* with
A4.
EXAMPLES 10 TO 13
The following liquid formulations are useful examples
of compositions according to the invention.
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Example No: 10 11 12 13
In~redients (~ by weight)
Sodium linear alkyl benzene
sulphonate 7.0 7.0 8.4 8.4
Lauryl ether sulphate (3EO) - - 3.0 3.0
Nonionic sur~actant A3 3.0 3.0 2.6 2.6
Potassium oleate soap 1.0 1.0
10 Sodium tripolyphosphate 22.8 22.8
Zeolite - - 16.0 16.0
Acrylate/maleate copolymer - - 3.5 3.5
Sodium citrate - - 2.0 2.0
Glycerol 4.85 4.857.0 7.0
15 Borax 3.1 3.1 6.0 6.0
Proteolytic enzyme 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Hardened tallow primary amine 2.0 - 2.0
Dihardened tallow
methyltertiaryamine - 2.0 - 2.0
Water and minor ingredients -------------balance---------
EXAMPLES 14 TO 17
The following powder formula~ions are useful examples
of compositions according to the invention.
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Examp e No: 14 15 16 17
Ingredients (% by weight)
5 Anionic detergent active ----------------9.0---------
Nonionic surfactant A7 l.O l.O
Nonionic surfactant A4 - - 4.0 4.0
Nonionic surfactant A3 2.0 2.0 - -
Sodlum tripolyphosphate ---------------23.0---------
lO Sodium carbonate __________------6.0---------
Sodium alkaline silicate ----------------5.5---------
Sodium sulphate ---------------30.8---------
Hardened tallow prlmary amine 1.0 - 1.0 2.U
Dihardened tallow
methyltertiaryamine - 1.0
Water and minor ingredients ------~ --balance---------
